Xavier Lynn
Xavier was a player character from Medieval, and has since featured in a number of side-fics and RPs. He began the game as a peasant. BackstoryCategory:Medieval charactersCategory:House JadeCategory:Courdonians Xavier was born in Courdon to a Cerrish slave woman, and grew up in Jisam under the ownership of Lord Rodin Duval. His mother died of illness when he was five years old, and for the most part he was looked after by a slave girl who was only a couple of years older than him - Muriel. Muriel was like a sister to him, the closest thing to family he had, and while she was not always able to protect him from the cruelty of life at Castle Jisam, her companionship made a life of slavery more bearable. As he grew older, Xavier attracted their master's attention for his unusual, exotic appearance inherited from his Cerrish mother and his docile, obedient personality. He became one of Lord Duval's most prized possessions. At around the age of 15, Duval discovered that Xavier had a latent talent for magic, and subjected him to an intense conditioning process meant to bring Xavier's magic under his master's control. The conditioning was a drawn-out and painful process which lasted nearly a year, but Xavier survived and entirely lost the ability to use his own magic voluntarily. Duval kept him closer than ever, showing him off to his fellow nobles as a status symbol. By the time he was about 17, Muriel revealed that she had a plan for the two of them to run away, and took him along on a desperate escape attempt. They were pursued by mage slave-hunters in the employ of Lord Duval. In the chase, Muriel was killed by a misfired spell meant to merely incapacitate her, but Xavier escaped and headed north to Kyth. He continued running until he made it to Medieville, at which point he was taken in as an employee by the innkeeper Ilsa Wright. Xavier's backstory is detailed in several stories. * A Slave of Talvace: The story of Xavier's upbringing in Jisam, how his magic was discovered and brought under control, and how he escaped. (In progress.) * The Feast: Xavier runs afoul of his master during a festival at Castle Jisam, and Muriel is left to deal with the aftermath. * Safe and Dry: Xavier meets Ilsa for the first time. Canon RP Xavier was the Vigilante, arresting other characters in the night if he caught them doing something suspicious or illegal. On Night 3 he was recruited by House Jade, and used his crime-stopping abilities in their service for the remainder of the game. The recruitment was slightly traumatic for Xavier, leading him to believe that he'd been enslaved by the Jades. He proceeded to perplex all of them with his submissive, cowed demeanor, and worried his friends by vanishing abruptly from Ilsa's inn in an attempt to save his employer from noble retaliation. Still believing that House Jade owned him, he felt he had no choice but to arrest his friend Elin Ryer when he discovered that she was a member of the Shadows - and in doing so, was convinced he'd doomed her to torture and execution. Luckily, Leif Jade noticed his distress and was able to discover the misconception. He explained to Xavier that they had not enslaved him, and Xavier was able to grow to genuinely trust his new House. His service to House Jade was complicated by the discovery of his growing feelings for Elin, who was now in hiding after escaping House Jade's prison. Elin's feelings were mutual, but both of them were well aware that it was far too dangerous for them to even have contact with each other, especially as tensions grew between the nobility and the Shadows. Meanwhile, Xavier was at least able to reunite with Ilsa and reassure her that he wasn't in danger. On Day 10, a Courdonian delegation arrived in Medieville, bringing new dangers for Xavier. Among them was his old master, Rodin Duval. When Duval saw Xavier among the Jades, he grabbed him and attempted to reclaim him, but was prevented by the intervention of Leif, Elin, Ambrose Stallion, Alain Stallion, and Frederick Arcanus. Afterwards, Ambrose and Leif took Xavier back to the inn, where they were thanked profusely by Ilsa. Here he reunited secretly with Elin, and the pair shared a kiss. At the coronation, the Courdonians finally showed their hand and attacked. Xavier had another run-in with his former master when he witnessed Duval about to kill Ambrose and leaped forward to intervene. For the first time in his life, Xavier fought back against the man who'd abused him most of his life, and with the help of Elin and Ambrose, was able to bring him literally to his knees. Rather than murder Duval in cold blood, Xavier chose to restrain him with the magical handcuffs he used as Vigilante. Duval escaped with his life - but not his pride - intact. Xavier would never see him again. Six months later, Xavier attended the wedding of Lord Joffery Jade alongside Elin, now able to be with her openly. By this time he'd become a far happier and more confident young man than he'd been before the events of six months ago, living at Marson Manor and training as a mage with Leif. Post-Game Xavier appears in a number of stories and RPs set after the canon storyline. They're listed here in roughly chronological order. * Untitled (Elivier fic) - The day after the Coronation, Xavier visits Elin to check on her, and convinces her to talk to Leif Jade about the mysterious problem of her magic. Written by Elcie and GLQ. * Musical Jades - Joffery Jade discovers that Xavier plays the lute, and the two Jades bond over music. RP between Elcie and PFA. * Sad, Shy Smiles - Xavier meets Sieg Braham at the King's Arms Inn, and the two get to know each other. RP between Elcie and Shinko. * Echoes of the Past - Xavier helps Ambrose with a new law regarding escaped slaves in Kyth, and it brings up unhappy memories for the former slave about Muriel's death. RP between Elcie and Celes. * Family Ties - Xavier and Elin are now engaged, and he wants Ambrose to be the first to know. RP between Elcie and Celes. * Breaking the News - Four years after canon, Xavier and Elin are happily married, and Elin has something to tell Xavier. Written by Elcie and GLQ. * Untitled drabble - Short, fluffy snippet about married Xavier and Elin. Written by Elcie. Revolution :Twenty years after the events of the Medieval roleplay, change is coming to the kingdom of Courdon. Slaves are picking up arms, fighting back, and even the ''enkis are growing nervous.'' :Xavier Lynn, once a slave, once a lord, and now a general, finds he has raised an army. Now he and his family must face the consequences. Twenty years later, Xavier returns to Courdon to start a rebellion - the same slave uprising that Ambrose witnessed in his visions. He is joined by Elin and Lydia Kidde, and the three of them become joint leaders in a revolution that will change Courdon forever. Though Xavier doesn't feature personally in every Revolution story, he is a central figure who becomes revered - and hated - as the infamous Branded Lord. The Revolution story arc is collected here and is written jointly by Elcie, Carrie, and GLQ. AUs Bad End Xavier appears in Bad End alongside Frederick and Elin, all three of whom have experienced and subsequently escaped slavery. After Xavier and Frederick's escape from Duval and Elin's escape from a nobleman named Lord Arke, the three of them must fend for themselves and trust no one as they make their way north to safe haven in Bern. Countryswap Countryswap Xavier belonged to the merchant Ilsa, who treated him decently but was not particularly attached to him. His life took a turn for the worse when he was sold to House Jade, where the vicious archmage Leif became his handler. From the Ashes Xavier appears in From the Ashes trying to warn Ambrose about Joffery's plans to have him assassinated, but the warning arrives too late and Xavier is forced to watch his friend die. Shortly after, Alain violently confronts him about his brother's death. Too numb and grief-stricken to care what happens to him, Xavier doesn't resist and gives Alain what information he can about the Jades' plans. Alain lets him go, and Xavier flees to the Shadows to find Elin and go into hiding with her. Relationships Muriel: Though Muriel was killed prior to the start of the game, she had a large impact on Xavier. She was his closest (and only) friend in Jisam, and he looked up to her like an older sister. Her death is deeply traumatizing to Xavier, and he's left with a deep-seated guilt over it for years afterward. After his marriage, Xavier honors Muriel's memory by naming his oldest daughter after her. Ilsa Wright: ''The cheerful, outgoing innkeeper is the first person to befriend Xavier in Kyth. When Xavier first arrived in Medieville, he took shelter from the rain in her inn. She wound up offering him a job. At first he treated her as submissively and deferentially as he would have treated his master, but over time he is able to open up to her and grows to trust her. Ilsa takes on a fairly maternal role to Xavier and is deeply protective of him, as evidenced by her angry reaction to the way he was treated by House Jade. ''Elin Ryer: ''One of the first people to befriend Xavier after he arrives in Medieville. Though his extreme timidity and submissiveness perplexed her at their first meeting, she treated him kindly and Xavier grew to like and trust her. At the start of game events, Ilsa and Elin are the only two people that Xavier really trusts. During the turmoil of the Shadow rebellion and Xavier's recruitment by House Jade, both of them realize that they are developing feelings for each other. It seems too risky to act on them, but after the initial confrontation with Duval and the terror of nearly losing each other, Xavier and Elin's feelings are brought out into the open. After the coronation and the ascension of Aldrich Finnegan to the throne, the Shadows are no longer in hiding and Xavier and Elin are able to court openly. He marries her four years after canon and they have three children: Muriel, Ciro, and Ivy. Twenty years later, she will join him in Courdon as co-leader of the revolution, where her experience with rebellion and subterfuge is put to good use. Xavier adores Elin and would do anything to protect her - to the point of, at times, being slightly overprotective or unnecessarily self-sacrificial. It takes some time for him to get used to the idea of their relationship, and the fact that she loves him back. Elin plays a large role in helping Xavier with his insecurity and some of the self-deprecating attitudes left from his time in slavery. ''Ambrose Stallion: Xavier first meets Ambrose by chance, when the Stallion is lost outside Medieville and Xavier helps guide him back. Though he is at first intimidated by the fact that Ambrose is nobility, Ambrose's genuinely kind and respectful treatment of Xavier surprises him. Having never before met a noble who really treated him like a person, Xavier grows to like and respect Ambrose in turn. He shows this the only way he knows how, deferring to Ambrose and willingly giving him the respect due his status, though Ambrose is slightly uncomfortable with this and continually urges Xavier to call him by his first name. Ambrose plays a large role in Xavier's growing confidence, treating him as an equal and continually affirming that Xavier deserves freedom and respect like any other human being. Eventually he becomes the catalyst for Xavier finally standing up to Duval, when his former master attempts to kill Ambrose at the coronation. Their relationship continues to develop after Ambrose stays in Medieville as the new king's advisor. Xavier thinks the world of Ambrose and admires him deeply, calling him "the wisest person I know." He comes to think of Ambrose as his father, something that comes out into the open after Xavier's engagement to Elin. Ambrose gladly acknowledges Xavier as his son in turn. Ambrose continues to be a large part of Xavier's life, and Xavier's children think of him as their grandfather. ''Leif Jade: ''When Xavier is first recruited by House Jade, he's terrified by the brusque, stand-offish Archmage. The combination of Leif's powerful magic and his short temper make him someone Xavier is very scared to cross. This changes, however, when Leif is the first person to confront Xavier about his very strange behavior with House Jade. It comes out that Xavier has thought he was enslaved by Leif's house, and Leif is horrified. After this, and after a conversation with Ilsa in which the innkeeper calls him out for how his House treated Xavier, Leif endeavors to protect Xavier - something he has the chance to do when Duval attempts to reclaim him. Xavier comes to trust Leif, and by the time of the Coronation the two have become friends. Xavier sees Leif as something like an older brother, and likes him a great deal. After the coronation, when Leif stays in Medieville, Xavier works with him as an assistant helping to liaison between House Jade and the other factions. Eventually he musters up the courage to tell Leif about his suppressed magical ability, and the two of them work together to undo the damage that the conditioning did to Xavier. ''Frederick Arcanus: ''The elven racketeer sets his sights on Xavier early as a good informant, due to his timid nature and his job at the inn. He's the first person who is able to find out that Xavier was once a slave, and uses this to his advantage to win Xavier's trust by offering his protection. Xavier's conditioning causes him to be especially susceptible to Frederick's glamour, and he agrees to help him. He doesn't suspect Frederick's ulterior motives until his recruitment by House Jade. Meeting with Frederick while under a Jade protective spell, the glamour fails and Xavier becomes suspicious of the elf. The meeting culminates in an attempted arrest. Frederick reveals his terrible past to Xavier, that he was held captive and tortured, but while Xavier is horrified by the sight of his scars, he still does not trust him. They part and their brief alliance is broken. Later, however, Frederick reappears to help protect Xavier, using his glamour to intimidate Duval. Xavier is more than a little surprised by this intervention, and is equally surprised when Frederick joins him at the coronation and fights the Courdonians at his side. In the aftermath, Frederick reveals that he has fallen in love with Xavier, knowing his feelings are unrequited: Xavier loves Elin, and he still does not fully trust Frederick. Xavier is surprised by this, but tells Frederick that he forgives him for his earlier manipulations. They part ways, never to see each other again.__FORCETOC__